Seeing the Sights. If you are overwhelmed by the number of must-see sights in the SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

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1 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:02 AM Page Seeing the Sights If you are overwhelmed by the number of must-see sights in the City of Light, take heart: Simply walking down Parisian streets may very well fulfill your deepest French fantasies. Peeking at pastries in shop windows, noticing the swirls of the Belle Epoque architecture, or watching children play in a public garden could be some of your more lasting memories. It s hard to resist the temptation to try to cram every monument and museum into one visit, but if you don t, you will end up exhausted. Take your time. Most sights in Paris are hundreds of years old, and they aren t going anywhere soon. What you miss will just give you a good excuse to come back. SUGGESTED ITINERARIES If You Have 1 Day Start early with coffee and croissants at a cafe. Then begin at Point Zéro: All distances in France are measured from the square in front of Notre-Dame, on the Ile de la Cité. The cathedral, with its flying buttresses, is a great starting point. It s a short walk to the Ile s other Gothic masterpiece, Sainte-Chapelle. Then cross the Seine to the Louvre. Select a few rooms for your first visit it would take months to see everything. From the museum, stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries to place de la Concorde, with its Egyptian obelisk. Walk up the Champs-Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe; there are several budget restaurants near the Champs-Elysées where you can have lunch. Métro line 1 runs in a straight line from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe (Métro: Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile). You can also climb aboard bus 73 at Concorde and ride up the Champs- Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. From the Arc de Triomphe, walk down avenue Kléber to place du Trocadéro for splendid views of the Eiffel Tower (bus nos. 22 and 30 also go to Trocadéro, as does Métro line 6). Visit the tower and then head for the Left Bank. You can catch an express subway

2 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 101 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 101 (RER) at Champ-de-Mars, southwest of the Eiffel Tower on the Seine (a short walk), to the St-Michel station in the Latin Quarter. Bus no. 63 from Trocadéro runs along the Seine and drops you at the St-Germain-des-Prés church, next to the Café des Deux Magots and Café de Flore. Stroll down the boulevard St- Germain-des-Prés to place St-Michel and soak up the atmosphere on the boulevard and its maze of side streets. This is an excellent area for dinner. If You Have 2 Days On the first day, follow the above itinerary from Notre-Dame to the Arc de Triomphe, but take more time in the Louvre. From the Arc de Triomphe, either walk south on avenue Marceau or take bus no. 92 to place de l Alma next to the Seine and stroll along the quais to Pont des Invalides. Walk up avenue Franklin- D-Roosevelt past the Grand Palais to the Champs-Elysées and take Métro line 1 to St-Paul, in the Marais. Walk east on rue St- Antoine and turn left on rue de Birague to see Paris s oldest square, the place des Vosges, bordered by 17th-century town houses. After refreshments at a neighborhood bar or bistro, wander the lamp-lit streets built just wide enough for a horse and carriage. Explore the Left Bank on your second day. Start at the Eiffel Tower and follow the Seine to the Musée d Orsay to spend a few hours with the Impressionist masters, or head past the Invalides and take in the Musée Rodin. Either way, afterward go east toward St-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. You ll pass through the Faubourg St-Germain, a district of 18th-century mansions. Relax in Parisians favorite park, the Jardin du Luxembourg near boulevard St-Michel. If You Have 3 Days Add visits to the Père-Lachaise cemetery, Montmartre, and Sacré-Coeur. Explore the Right Bank s Parc Monceau. 1 The Top 10 Sights Arc de Triomphe The largest triumphal arch in the world was created by one of the greatest egos ever: Napoléon I. The emperor commissioned the Arc in honor of his Grande Armée and its 128 victorious battles, whose names are inscribed on its sides. Based on the smaller Arch of Titus in Rome, Architect Jean-François Chalgrin began construction in 1806, but the arch was far from finished by the time France s imperial army was swept from the field at the Battle of Waterloo in 1814; it was not completed until 1836.

3 pont des Invalides Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 102 Top Paris Attractions av. du Roule av. Charles de Gaulle BOIS DE BOULOGNE 1 bd. de l Amiral Brui x av. Bugeaud rue av. des Termes bd. Pereire av. de la Gr. Armée r. Bissiére avenue Niel place Charles de Gaulle 8 Arc de Triomphe i Centre de Conférences Internationales avenue Foch av. de Friedland av. Victor Hugo av. Paul Doumer rue Balard rue Balard rue bd. Victor des Belles rue St-Charles av. de Malakoff Feulles rue de la Tour de pl. du Gal Koenig Palais des Congrès Passy rue Linois av. Raymond Poincaré av. du Président Kennedy pont de Grenelle bd. GouvionSt-Cyr pl. Victor Hugo place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre rue de la Convention rue Lecourbe av. Victor Hugo rue Fondary rue du Théâtre av. Émile Zola rue des Entrepreneurs av. Félix Faure rue Lauriston av. Kléber rue de Longchamp Allée des Cignes quai de Grenelle Imprimerie Nationale pl. des St-Ferdinand Ternes Salle Wagram JARDINS DU TROCADÉRO pont de Bir Hakeim place de Brazzaville bd. Lefebvre av. d Iléna av. du Président Wilson pont d Iéna avenue de New quai Branly av. de Suffren av. Gustave Eiffel rue de la Federation bd. de Grenell e York rue du Commerce passerelle Debilly rue de Courcelles av. de Wagram avenue Marceau av. de la Bourdonnaise av. Joseph Bouvard av. Charles Risler r. Fremicourt rue de Prony quai d Orsay r. de l Université bd. Garibaldi bd. Haussmann av. de Lowendal av. de La Motte Picquet rue Lecourbe rue de la Convention rue de Vaugirard avenue des Champs-Elysées rue François 1 er rue de Vaugirard rue P. Barruel rue Brancion avenue de Villiers bd. de rue du Faubourg St-Honoré Egouts rue de la Crix Nivert Arc de Triomphe 8 Basilique du Sacré-Coeur 10 St-Lambert Bibliothèque Nationale de France 28 Cathédrale de Notre-Dame 23 Centre Georges Pompidou 17 Cimetière du Père-Lachaise 13 Cité de la Musique 12 Conciergerie 21 Eiffel Tower Palais (Tour des Eiffel) 2 Objets Sports Trouvés Hôtel de Ville 20 7 pl. du Mal. Juin 2 CHAMP pont de l Alma Salle Pleyel place de l Alma av. Montaigne rue J. Goujon cours Albert 1 er rue St-Dominique DES MARS place Joffre Ecole St-Léon Militaire U.N.E.S.C.O. rue de av. de Tourville rue Dutot Voil Cource les PARC MONCEAU av. F. D. Roosevelt bd. de la Tour Maubourg av. de Breteuil av. de Ségur av. W. Churchill cours la Reine av. du M. Gallieni rue du Dr. Roux bd. Malesherbes Théâtre Rond Point des Marigny Palais de Champs-Elysées l Elysée Seine 9 pont Alex. III 3 Hôtel des Invalides place de Breteuil Aerogare des Invalides i bd. des Invalides bd. Pasteur rue d Alésia rue de Bourgogne bd. des Batignoles rue de Rome rue de Constantinople Conservatoire de Musique bd. Haussmann bd. Malesherbes quai Anatole France rue de Varenne r ue rue de Babylone Vaneau rue de Sèvres rue du Cherche Midi avenue du Maine rue du Bac bd. du Montparnasse bd. St-Germain rue Stbd. Raspail rue d Amsterdam St-Augustin Gare pl. St- St-Lazare Augustin 4 St-François Xavier pont de la Concorde Ste-Clotilde pl.de la Madeleine La Madeleine place de la Concorde 6 JARDIN DES pont de Solterino 5 Musée d Orsay rue de Vaugirard place Henry Queuille MONTPARNASSE place Tour du 18 Juin Hôtel des Invalides 3 Montparnasse 1940 Jardin des Institut Tuileries 6 Gare Montparnasse Jardin du Pasteur Luxembourg 26 Cimetière Musée Carnavalet-Histoire de Paris 19 Musée d Orsay 5 place Musée du Louvre 16 Musée Guimet 7 Musée Jacquemart-André 9 Musée Marmottan Monet 1 Musée National Auguste-Rodin 4 bd. Edgar TUILERIES JA LUX du Montparna 102

4 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 103 rue d Amsterdam e e JARDIN DES ino i d e y in Cimetière Moulin Rouge 10 MONTMARTRE place Pigalle bd. Haussmann bd. des Capucines rue du Four Quinet bd. de Clichy Lazare rue Blanche Casino de Paris Ste-Trinité bd. Raspail bd. Raspail rue N.D. de Lorette rue Pigalle bd. des Italiens r. St-Augustin r. des Petits Champs quai quai Voltaire bd. St-Germain rue de Vaugirard rue d Assas Notre-Dame de Lorette quai bd. du Montparnasse bd. Montmartre r. de Valois bd. de Rochechuart av. Trudaine bd. de Bonne Nouvelle rue du Mail rue de Cléry rue d Abukir rue du Louvre bd. de la Chapelle bd. de Magenta rue de Dunkerque rue de Paradis bd. de Sébastopol rue St-Martin rue de Chabrol rue La Fayette rue La Fayette rue du 4 Septembre place Vendôme St-Roch 15 Palais place A. Royal TUILERIES Malraux pont Royal 14 place de l Opéra pont du Carr. rue Réaumur St-Denis rue du Faubourg rue St-Martin bd. de Strasbourg rue Beaubourg St-Martin bd. St-Martin rue du Faubourg rue de Turbigo rue de Rivolirue St-Antoine des Tuileries pont des Arts Malaquais rue de Richelieu quai de Conti bd. St-Michel bd. Arago bd. St-Jacques des Grand quai Augustins rue des rue Gay Lussac rue Condorc Folies Bergère Bourse des Valeurs pont Neuf Seine rue d Ulm pont au Change quai St-Michel rue St- Jacques rue Claude Bernard bd. de Port Royal pont N. Dame Ecoles St-Vincent de Paul rue du Faubourg de Poissonniére quai de l Hôtel de Ville pont St-Louis Cloître N.Dame quai de la Tournelle bd. St-Germain rue Censier Gare du Nord pont de la Tornelle 11 Gare de l Est St-Laurent Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers bd. Saint Marcel rue du Temple rue des Archives bd. de l Hôpital pont de Sully rue du Faubourg St-Martin quai de Jemmapes quai de Valmi rue de Turenne quai de Valmi quai de Jemmapes bd. du Temple rue St-Maur rue de le Grange av. de la République bd. Voltaire av. Secrétan bd. de la Villette bd. Richard Lenoir av. Jean Jaurès rue du Faubourg du Temple quai Saint Bernard quai d Austerlitz rue Buffon place de la République bd. Bourdon bd. de la Bastille bd. Henry IV quai Henry IV bd. Beaumarchais bd. Vincent Auriol rue Armand Carrel place du Bourse du Carrousel Commerce St-Ambroise Musée LE Forum du Louvre 16 des Halles MARAIS St-Merri Archives Théâtre Nationales St-Denis du Châtelet Ecole Nationale 19 des Beaux-Arts Hôtel 20 ST-GERMAIN- 21 de Ville place des DES-PRÉS 22 St-Gervais Vosges Théâtre 24 ILE DE LA CITÉ de la Bastille Notre-Dame St-Paul place 23 ILE de la 29 ST-LOUIS Bastille St-Louis Opéra Bastille 25 Palais du Sorbonne Institut Luxembourg QUARTIER du Monde 26 LATIN Arabe Panthéon JARDIN DU Université LUXEMBOURG 27 Paris VII JARDIN DES Gare PLANTES de Lyon Université Paris V Musée National du Moyen Age/ Gare Thermes de Cluny 25 St-Médard d Austerlitz Musée Picasso 18 Université Paris III du Montparnasse Opéra Bastille 29 Opéra Garnier Observatoire (Palais Garnier) 14 Palais-Royal 15 de Paris Panthéon Sainte-Chapelle /4 mi St-Germain-des-Prés 24 place d Italie km Cité des Sciences et de l Industrie 11 St-Joseph St-Georges place du Colonel PARC DES Fabien BUTTES- CHAUMONT pont d Austerlitz rue du Chemin Vert rue de Lyon av. L. Rollin Seine St-Joseph rue de la Roquette rue du Faubourg av. Daumesnil rue de Bercy bd. Diderot quai de la Rapée St-Antoine rue de Charenton pont de Bercy quai de Bercy N 103

5 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS Paris s Top Free (or Almost) Attractions The rooftops of Paris, which can be seen from many vantage points, several for free, like La Samaritaine department store, the Institut du Monde Arabe, and Sacré- Coeur. The neighborhood markets, such as the Latin Quarter s rue Mouffetard, rue de Buci in St-Germain, rue Lepic in Montmartre, rue Montorgueil near the Bourse, and rue Daguerre in Montparnasse. The bird and flower markets on the Ile de la Cité and the Marché aux Puces at Porte de Clignancourt (Paris s largest flea market). The churches of Paris, which have been central to the life of the city. In addition to Notre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur, visit St-Eustache (in the heart of Les Halles), St-Séverin, St- Germain-des-Prés, St-Etienne du Mont, and St-Sulpice for its Delacroix paintings and organ. The cemeteries of Paris especially the famous Père- Lachaise. The Cimetière de Montmartre and Cimetière de Montparnasse also contain the graves of famous writers, artists, and composers. Although it has come to symbolize France and her greatness, it has also witnessed some defeats, as in 1871 and 1940, when German armies marched through the arch and down the Champs-Elysées. In August 1944, General de Gaulle came here after the liberation of Paris; the black-and-white pictures taken then are powerful symbols of the end of fascism and war. Napoléon s funeral cortege passed below the arch in 1840, but Victor Hugo was the only person ever to lie in state beneath it. Crowds gathered here and up and down the Champs-Elysées after France won the World Cup in 1998, and again to celebrate the turning of the 21st century. Beneath the arch, under a tricolor flag, burns the eternal flame for France s Unknown Soldier. It is lighted every evening at 6:30. The inscription reads: ICI REPOSE UN SOLDAT FRANÇAIS MORT POUR LA PATRIE, ( Here rests a French soldier who died for his country ). Remembrance ceremonies are held on Armistice Day (Nov 11) and other national holidays.

6 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 105 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 105 The Louvre on Sunday, when admission is half price or, if you re lucky, the first Sunday of the month, when it s free. The city s gorgeous gardens and parks. The most famous is the Jardin des Tuileries. The Bois de Boulogne is the largest, and the Jardin du Luxembourg the most beloved. The Jardins des Plantes, the oldest public garden in Paris, is a riot of color and variety. The Seine and its bridges. Take a day to stroll along the quais (riverbanks) it s one of the world s most romantic walks. The antiques stores and art galleries that line rue de Beaune, rue Jacob, rue de Seine, rue Bonaparte, and streets in the St-Germain area. The arcades winding through the 2e and 9e arrondissements. These 19th-century iron- and glass-covered passages are ideal for rainy-day shopping. The many and various squares of Paris: Place de la Contrescarpe in the Latin Quarter and the magnificent place des Vosges in the Marais are great places to sit and watch life pass by. Square du Vert-Galant on the Ile de la Cité is ideal for a picnic by the water. Several outstanding 19th-century sculptures cover the arch. The most famous is Rude s La Marseillaise, on the bottom right on the Champs-Elysées side, representing volunteer soldiers departure for the front in To reach the stairs and elevators that climb the arch, do not try to cross the traffic circle take the underpass near the Métro entrances. Twelve avenues radiate from place Charles-de-Gaulle, formerly place de l Etoile, one of the busiest traffic hubs in Paris. Watch in amazement as cars careen around the arch yet somehow manage not to collide. From the top, 49m (162 ft.) up, you can see in a straight line the Champs-Elysées, the obelisk on place de la Concorde, and the Louvre. On the opposite side is the Grande Arche de la Défense, a modern cube-shaped structure so large that Notre-Dame could fit beneath it. You can also see the tree-lined avenue Foch, leading to the Bois de Boulogne.

7 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS Pl. Charles-de-Gaulle, 8e. & Admission 7 ($8) adults, 4.50 ($5.15) ages 18 25, free for children under 18. Apr Sept 9:30am 11pm; Oct Mar 10am 10:30pm. Closed major holidays. Métro: Charles-de-Gaulle Etoile. Basilique du Sacré-Coeur The sensual yet exotic white dome of Sacré-Coeur is almost as familiar as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower; and it, too, is a romantic symbol of Paris. Made famous by Utrillo and other Montmartre artists, Sacré-Coeur is a vaguely Byzantine-Romanesque church built from 1876 to Construction began after France s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War; Catholics raised money to build this monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There are 237 steps to climb to get up to the dome, but the view is fabulous: almost 50km (30 miles) across the rooftops of Paris on a clear day. You can ease the ascent by taking the elevator up from the Métro and riding the funiculaire (which is a sort of tram drawn up and down the side of the hill by cables) to the church. For the staircase-phobic, the panorama from the front of the church is pretty spectacular if you don t mind fending off trinket vendors. On the other side of Sacré-Coeur is place du Tertre; Vincent van Gogh lived off the place and used it as a scene for one of his paintings. Its charm is long gone and the square is swamped with tourists and quick-sketch artists. Avoid the hordes and follow any of the small streets winding downhill from the rear of the church to find the quiet side of Montmartre and a glimpse of what Paris looked like before busy Baron Haussmann built his boulevards. 25 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre, 18e. & Admission to basilica free; to dome and crypt 4.60 ($5.30) adults, 2.45 ($2.80) students under 25. Basilica daily 6am 11pm; dome and crypt daily 9am 5:45pm. Métro: Abbesses. Take elevator to surface and follow signs to funiculaire, which runs to the church (fare: 1 Métro ticket). Cathédrale de Notre-Dame A bronze plaque in front of the cathedral marks the spot, Point Zéro, from which all distances in France have been measured since In many ways, Notre- Dame is the center of France. Its Gothic loftiness dominates the Seine and the Ile de la Cité, as well as the history of Paris. Napoléon crowned himself emperor here. When Paris was liberated during World War II, General de Gaulle rushed to the cathedral after his return, to pray in thanksgiving. Construction of Notre-Dame started in 1163, but its grounds were sacred long before. Where the cathedral now stands, the Romans built a temple; a Christian basilica and then a Romanesque church succeeded it. As the population grew in the 1100s, Maurice de Sully,

8 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 107 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 107 bishop of Paris, ordered a brilliant and still unknown architect to build a cathedral. The building was completed in the 14th century. Parisians, like other urban dwellers in the Middle Ages, learned religious history by looking at the statuary and the stained-glass windows of their cathedral. Built in an age of illiteracy, the cathedral tells the stories of the Bible in its portals, paintings, and stained glass. Notre-Dame was pillaged during the Revolution: Citizens mistook statues of saints for representations of kings and, in their fervor, took them down. (Some of the statues were found in the 1970s in the Latin Quarter and can be seen in the Musée de Cluny.) Nearly 100 years later, architect Viollet-le-Duc began Notre- Dame s restoration. Writer Victor Hugo and artists such as Ingres called attention to the state of disrepair into which the cathedral had fallen, raising awareness of its value. Whereas 18th-century neoclassicists had virtually ignored the creations of the Middle Ages and even replaced the stained glass at Notre-Dame with clear glass 19th-century romantics saw that remote period with new eyes and greater appreciation. Besides bringing new life to the rose windows and the statues, Viollet-le-Duc designed Notre-Dame s spire, a new feature. Also in the 19th century, Baron Haussmann (Napoléon III s urban planner) evicted the residents of the area. The houses were torn down to permit better views of the edifice. Colored paving stones on the parvis trace the outline of the old neighborhood and its main street, rue de Neuve Notre-Dame. Today, the art of Notre-Dame continues to awe 12 million yearly visitors. In fact, it s one of the top three most visited sights in all of France. The west front contains 28 statues representing the monarchs of Judea and Israel. The three portals depict, from left to right, the Coronation of the Virgin; the Last Judgment; and the Madonna and Child, surrounded by scenes of Mary s life. The impressive interior, with its slender, graceful columns, holds as many as 6,000 worshipers. The three rose windows to the west, north, and south are masterful, their colors a glory to behold on a sunny day. For a look at the upper parts of the church, the river, and much of Paris, climb the 402 steps to the top of the south tower. (The cleaning of the facade continues through 2004, so expect some views to be obstructed until then.) Lightweights can climb to the first balcony, a mere 255 steps. Allow around hours including a visit to the tower, not including the lines. 6 pl. du Parvis Notre-Dame, Ile de la Cité, 4e. & Free admission to the cathedral; admission to the tower 6 ($6.90) adults, 4 ($4.60) students 18 25, free for under 18. Cathedral hours: Mon Sat 8am 6:45pm; Sun

9 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS 8am 7:45pm. Treasury: Mon Sat 9:30am 5:30pm. 6 Masses celebrated on Sun, 4 on weekdays, 1 on Sat. Tower hours: Oct 1 Mar 31 10am 5:30pm; Apr 1 June 30 and Sept am 8pm; July 1 Aug 31 9am 9pm. Free guided visits of the cathedral in English Wed Thurs noon; Sat 2:30pm. Métro: Cité or St-Michel. RER: St- Michel. Cimetière du Père-Lachaise Tombstones and memorials might not seem like star-attraction fodder, but this cemetery truly is not to be missed. If you have any artistic or literary heroes, one of them is bound to be here. Chopin, Bizet, Proust, Balzac, Corot, Delacroix, Pissarro, Modigliani, Molière, Sarah Bernhardt, Isadora Duncan, Simone Signoret, Yves Montand, and, of course, Jim Morrison (whose gravesite gets its own guard to protect it from the fervor of his fans) are just some of the luminaries resting in this peaceful spot. Beyond hero worship, the cemetery offers an atmosphere belonging to a more tranquil, romantic era. Quiet alleyways wind through lush greenery and statues. The tombs are often topped with exquisite marble and stone figures, or tiny, phone booth size chapels with mosaics and stained-glass windows. Flowers droop from urns and memorials, and Oscar Wilde s gravestone is covered with lipstick kisses. Legends abound. The 18th-century bronze tomb of murdered journalist Victor Noir is reputed to give women fertility when rubbed (the polished sheen of certain parts of his statue is testament to its lore). The tragic love story of Abélard and Héloïse is lesser known these days, but in the 19th century their tombs were magnets for disappointed lovers. Go when you will, you find somebody snuffling over that tomb, wrote Mark Twain in The Innocents Abroad. Also at Père-Lachaise are several memorials to the Holocaust. Admission is free, but get a map because the winding cobblestone paths have a mazelike quality, and many graves are tricky to locate. There is a free map at the entrance, but you can buy one on the street outside for 1.50 ($1.70) that is easier to read. Allow at least 2 hours to visit the cemetery. The city of Paris offers a number of guided tours of Père-Lachaise, including one in English every Saturday at 3pm from June through August (& ). 16 rue du Repos, 20e. & Free admission. Mar 16 Nov 5 Mon Fri 8am 6pm, Sat 8:30am 6pm, Sun 9am 6pm; Nov 6 Mar 15 Mon Fri 8am 5:30pm, Sat 8:30am 5:30pm, Sun 9am 5:30pm. Métro: Père-Lachaise. Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) What is now the icon of all that is French created as much controversy in its time as Pei s pyramid at the Louvre did in the 1980s. Artists and writers such as Maupassant, Verlaine, and Huysmans (who called it a hollow candlestick )

10 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 109 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 109 thought it was an abomination. Charles Garnier, architect of the Opéra, was among several who signed a protest petition. But others found the tower a source of inspiration, as evidenced by its appearance in the paintings of Rousseau, Utrillo, Chagall, and Delaunay. Since then, its popularity has soared and now it is virtually impossible to think of Paris without imagining the Eiffel Tower s elegant silhouette. Seven hundred entrants competed in the project to design a monument for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World s Fair), and engineer Gustave Eiffel won. At first, many thought his 295m (984-ft.) tower couldn t be built, and in fact the job took more than 2 years. Upon completion, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world. The Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) and his family were the first visitors to ascend the tower, and it quickly became a magnet for publicity stunts. In 1923, for instance, Pierre Labric (who later became mayor of Montmartre) went down the tower s steps on his bicycle. Politics have also played a role in its life. During the war, the Germans hung a sign on it that read DEUTSCHLAND SIEGT AUF ALLEN FRONTEN ( Germany is victorious on all fronts ). In 1958, a few months before Fidel Castro s rise to power, Cuban revolutionaries hung their red-and-black flag from the first level; and in 1979, an American from Greenpeace hung one that read SAVE THE SEALS. In 1989, an 89-minute show of music and fireworks celebrated the tower s centennial; in the 1990s, it counted down the days until the millennium. Probably the best approach is to take the Métro to the Trocadéro station and walk from the Palais de Chaillot to the Seine. Besides fabulous views, especially when the Trocadéro fountains are in full force on summer evenings, you get a show from the dancers and acrobats who perform around the Palais de Chaillot. The best view is, of course, from the top level, where historians have re-created the office of engineer Gustave Eiffel. On a clear day, you can see the entire city. The vast green esplanade beneath the tower is the Champs de Mars, which extends to the 18th-century Ecole Militaire (Military Academy) at its southeast end. This formal lawn was once a parade ground for French troops, and is now the site of special holiday fêtes and concerts. Don t miss the Tower at night, one of the great sights of Paris. The gold lighting highlights the lacy delicacy of the steelwork in a way that daylight doesn t. Skip the tour buses and pickpockets on Trocadéro and head to Ecole Militaire for a more tranquil view.

11 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS Champ-de-Mars, 7e. & Admission 3.70 ($4.25) for elevator to 1st level (56m/188 ft.), 7 ($8) to 2nd level (114m/380 ft.), 10 ($12) to highest level (318m/1,060 ft.), 3.30 ($3.80) for stairs to 1st and 2nd levels. Discounted admission for children under 12. Daily Sept to mid-june 9:30am 11pm; late June to Aug 9am midnight. Fall and winter, stairs close at 6:30pm. Métro: Trocadéro, Bir-Hakeim, or Ecole-Militaire. RER: Champ-de-Mars. Jardin du Luxembourg Kids The French love of order and harmony is expressed in these formal gardens, commissioned by Marie de Medici in the 17th century. Long gravel walks shaded by trees lead to a central pond and fountain. On the way, flowerbeds and statues create a calm, inviting space. On the first warm day of the year, you ll see Parisians flocking to the park for serious bouts of reading, sunbathing, or people-watching. Sunday-afternoon band concerts draw a crowd in the summer, and the Medici Fountain is a cool, shady spot on a hot day. Children love the park, too, especially for the parc à jeux (playground), the toy sailboats in the central pond, and the théâtre des marionettes (puppet theater), where the ancient Guignol characters live on. Besides pools, fountains, and statues, there are tennis courts and spaces for playing boules. In the southwest corner is an orchard where several hundred species of apple and pear trees blossom each spring. A fenced-in area in the northwest corner houses beehives, and a beekeeping course is taught on weekends in the spring and summer. The Palais du Luxembourg, at the northern edge of the park, was built for Marie de Medici, who was homesick for the Palace Pitti in Florence. Marie, who believed in the divine rights of royalty, engaged Rubens to do a series of paintings on her life he finished under threat of execution in which she appears as the best thing to happen to France since bread. (The paintings are now in the Louvre.) Upon the queen s banishment in 1630, the palace passed along to various royals until the Revolution, when it was used as a prison. The American writer Thomas Paine was incarcerated here in 1793 when he fell out of favor with Robespierre. He narrowly escaped execution. The palace is now the seat of the French Senate but is not open to the public. The orangerie holds the Musée de Luxembourg, which presents temporary exhibits several times per year. 6e. & Museum information & Garden daily 8am dusk. Métro: Odéon. RER: Luxembourg. Musée d Orsay In 1986 a renovated train station and the best art of the 19th century were combined to create one of the world s great museums.

12 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 111 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 111 The Compagnie des Chemins de Fer d Orléans constructed the fabulous iron-and-glass monument to the industrial age in 1900, but after only 39 years, it was virtually abandoned. Years later, Orson Welles s film of Kafka s The Trial captured its sorry state. In the 1970s, it was classified as a historical monument. Work began in 1983 to transform the station into a museum for 19th-century art. For years, Paris s collections of 19th-century art had been distributed among the Louvre, the Musée d Art Moderne, and the small Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume, with its Impressionist masterpieces. In 1986 the collections were transferred to the Orsay. Thousands of paintings, sculptures, objets d art, items of furniture, architectural displays, and even photographs and movies illustrate the diversity and richness of the century. They encompass Impressionism, realism, Postimpressionism, and Art Nouveau. There are three floors of exhibits. On the ground floor you will find Ingres s La Source, Millet s L Angelus, the Barbizon school, Manet s Olympia, and other works of early Impressionism. Impressionism continues on the top level, with Renoir s Le Moulin de la Galette, Manet s Déjeuner sur l Herbe, Degas s Racing at Longchamps, Monet s Cathedrals, van Gogh s Self-Portrait, and Whistler s Portrait of the Artist s Mother. There are also works by Gauguin and the Pont- Aven school, Toulouse-Lautrec, Pissarro, Cézanne, and Seurat. Symbolism, naturalism, and Art Nouveau are represented on the middle level; the international Art Nouveau exhibit includes wonderful furniture and objets d art as well as Koloman Moser s Paradise, an enticing design for stained glass. The museum is undergoing renovations until 2004, but all works will still be on display. The entry area is getting a major overhaul, so the entrance to the museum is currently on the side facing the river, on quai Anatole France. 62 rue de Lille and 1 rue Bellechasse, 7e. & Admission 7 ($8) adults, 5 ($5.75) ages and for all on Sun, free for children under 18. Tues Wed and Fri Sat 10am 6pm; Thurs 10am 9:45pm; Sun 9am 6pm. June 20 Sept 20 museum opens at 9am. Métro: Solférino. RER: Musée-d Orsay. Musée du Louvre You could visit the Louvre every day for a month and not see all its 35,000 treasures. To have an enjoyable, nonexhausting experience, you ll need to limit your focus or plan more than one trip. The Louvre bookstore in the Carrousel du Louvre sells comprehensive guides and maps in English; there are brochures for visitors in a hurry and a guidebook, The Louvre, First Visit. You can also try

13 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS the 90-minute tour of the most popular works (Visite Découverte; & ), which will give you a quick orientation to the museum s layout. You can set your own pace with the audiotour, which you can rent for 5 ($5.75) at the entrance to any of the wings. It has an English-language option and is designed to last 4 hours. If you choose to go it alone, focus on a particular department, collection, or wing. The departments are: Egyptian antiquities; Oriental antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman antiquities; sculptures; paintings; graphics and the graphic arts; and art objects, spread across three wings: Sully, Denon, and Richelieu. First-timers usually head to the three most famous works: Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo. Finding your way is easy; signs mark the route, and the flow of other tourists carries you along. In the Denon wing, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, dating from the 2nd century B.C., is a masterpiece of Hellenic art. Before you climb the staircase topped by this sculpture, follow the sign that directs you to Venus de Milo (in the Sully wing), sculpted in the 1st century B.C. as the quintessence of feminine grace and sensuality. Don t miss the fragments from the 5th-century B.C. Parthenon. Also in the Sully wing are the Seated Scribe and the crypt of Osiris, the 18th-century rococo paintings of Fragonard and Boucher, and Ingres s Turkish Bath. En route from Winged Victory to Mona Lisa, you will pass David s Coronation of Napoléon opposite his Portrait of Madame Récamier. Stop and admire Ingres s Grand Odalisque. By early 2004, Leonardo da Vinci s La Gioconda (Mona Lisa) will return to her usual digs, the Salle des Etats, after getting a makeover. (Don t worry, she remained on display while her home was renovated and was, as usual, the center of attention.) As shutterbugs crowd around the portrait, the famous Florentine gazes out at the throng. The artist blurred the outlines of her features to make the corners of her mouth and eyes fade away, making her expression ever changeable and mysterious. Da Vinci became so enamored of the painting that he carted it around with him on his travels. In 1516, François I invited the painter and his portrait to his château in the Loire valley; he eventually bought Mona Lisa. The painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 and finally discovered in Florence in Now, a guard and bulletproof glass protect the lady from further such adventures. No such security paraphernalia mars enjoyment of other examples of Italian Renaissance art calmly hanging in the nearby Salle des Sept Cheminées. Here you will find da Vinci s Virgin with the Infant

14 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 113 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 113 Tips Some Louvre Tips Long lines outside the Louvre s pyramid entrance are notorious, but here are some tricks for avoiding them: Enter through the underground shopping mall Carrousel du Louvre. Enter through the staircases (Porte des Lions) next to the Arc du Carrousel. Enter directly from the Palais-Royal Musée-du Louvre- Métro station. Buy a Carte Musées et Monuments (Museum and Monuments Pass), which allows direct entry through the priority entrance at the Passage Richelieu, 93 rue de Rivoli. The pass costs 15 ($17) for 1 day, 30 ($35) for 3 days, and 45 ($52) for 5 days. The pass is also good for dozens of other museums in Paris. Order tickets via the Internet at or by phone through FNAC (& , toll number), and pick them up at any FNAC store (except FNAC photo shops). There is an added service charge of 1 ($1.15). Or walk into the nearest FNAC and purchase tickets at the billeterie. You ll find a branch of FNAC at 71 bd. St- Germain, 5e (& ; Métro: Cluny). You can also buy tickets at Virgin Megastore, Bon Marché, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, and BHV. Jesus and St. Anne and The Virgin of the Rocks, as well as Titian s Open Air Concert, Raphael s La Belle Jardinière, and Veronese s massive Marriage at Cana. Other highlights of the Denon wing include Velasquez s infantas, Ribera s Club Footed Boy, Botticelli s frescoes, Michelangelo s Slaves, Canova s Psyche Revived by the Kiss of Cupid, and works by Murillo, El Greco, and Goya. The inauguration of the Richelieu wing in 1993 opened several acres of new space, allowing the display of some 12,000 works of art in 165 airy, well-lit rooms. Before heading into the galleries, look in at the adjoining cour Marly, the glass-roofed courtyard that houses Coustou s rearing Marly Horses. The Code of Hammurabi in the Babylonian collection, Rubens s Medici cycle, Rembrandt s self-portraits, Holbein s Portrait of Erasmus, and van Dyck s portrait of

15 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS Charles I of England are among the works in the Richelieu wing. For a change of pace, see the apartments of Napoléon III (open mornings only), furnished in over-the-top Second Empire style. In 1997, 107,000 square feet of exhibition space devoted to Egyptian art and antiquities opened in the Sully and Denon wings. The display now totals 7,000 pieces, the largest exhibition of Egyptian antiquities outside Cairo. In 2000, an exhibit featuring 120 pieces from the earliest civilizations in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas opened on the ground floor. It will be in the Louvre until 2005, when Musée de Quai Branly, to which it belongs, opens. The building itself has evolved over the centuries. In 1190, King Philippe Auguste ordered construction of a castle and fortifications. Abandoned by French monarchs in the 15th century for their châteaux on the Loire, the Louvre became a royal residence in 1528, when François I demolished the keep and began building a palace. Construction included the beginnings of the Louvre s Cour Carrée ( square courtyard, the easternmost courtyard), one of the highest achievements of French Renaissance architecture. Work on the palace continued during the reign of Henri II, whose widow, Catherine de Medici, built the Tuileries Palace, which faced the main building (the palace was burned down in 1871). In 1654, architect Claude Perrault built the Colonnade, a majestic facade that surrounds the outside of the Cour Carrée. In the 17th century, Louis XIV moved the court to Versailles, and the Louvre s regal connection again faded. It wasn t until the French Revolution that the palace found its true calling, when the National Assembly called for the creation of a public museum in the Louvre. In 1793, the new museum s doors opened. The museum and its collections have continued to grow. In 1983, President François Mitterrand placed architect I. M. Pei in charge of a renovation of the Louvre. Pei s glass pyramid, which now serves as the museum s entrance, was as controversial as the restoration, but Mitterrand persevered. Like other monuments that initially faced strong opposition, the pyramid, completed in 1989, has gradually won over most critics. Whether by day, when the pyramid gathers and reflects the sunlight, or by night, when floodlights make the courtyard sparkle, the monument has taken its place among the beauties of Paris. Rue de Rivoli, 1er. & for recorded message, for information desk. Admission 7.50 ($8.60) adults, 5 ($5.75) after 3pm and on Sun, free 1st Sun of month and for children under 18. Mon (certain

16 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 115 THE TOP 10 SIGHTS 115 rooms only 9am 9:45pm) and Wed 9am 9:45pm; Thurs Sun 9am 6pm. Closed Tues. Métro: Palais-Royal Musée-du-Louvre. Musée National Auguste-Rodin Auguste Rodin s legendary sensuality, which outraged 19th-century critics, is expressed in a collection that includes his greatest works. The Kiss immortalizes in a sensuous curve of white marble the passion of doomed 13th-century lovers Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini. In the courtyard, Burghers of Calais is a commemoration of the siege of Calais in 1347, after which Edward III of England kept the town s six richest burghers as servants. Also in the courtyard is The Thinker. The Gates of Hell is a portrayal of Dante s Inferno. Intended for the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the massive bronze doors were not completed until 7 years after the artist s death. Studies done by Rodin before he executed his sculptures take up some of the 16 rooms. Particularly interesting is the evolution of his controversial nude of Balzac, which was his last major work. Don t miss the portrait heads of his many female friends, as well as the work of his mistress, Camille Claudel. The museum is in the 18th-century Hôtel Biron, which was a convent before it became a residence for artists and writers. Matisse, Jean Cocteau, and the poet Rainer Maria Rilke lived and worked in the mansion before Rodin moved there in The government bought the studio in 1911 and, after his death (in 1917), transformed it into a museum devoted to France s greatest sculptor. The garden surrounding the museum is almost as big a draw as the sculptures themselves; be sure to budget time for a leisurely stroll and give yourself at least 2 hours in all. Hôtel Biron, 77 rue de Varenne, 7e. & Admission 5 ($5.75) adults, 3 ($3.45) and for all on Sun, free for children under 18, 1 for garden only. Apr Sept Tues Sun 9:30am 5:45pm; Oct Mar Tues Sun 9:30am 4:45pm. Garden closes at 6:45pm in summer, last admission at 5:15. Métro: Varenne. Sainte-Chapelle Sainte-Chapelle is an explosion of color. As you enter the lower chapel, you will be surrounded by arches and columns painted in golds, reds, and blues, covered by a starry sky painted on the ceiling. But the real treat awaits when you climb the short, narrow staircase to the upper chapel. The sunlight streaming through its brilliantly hued stained-glass windows is an unforgettable sight, and you are surrounded by the reds and blues of the glass, as if you had just walked inside a magnificent piece of jewelry.

17 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS St. Louis IX (both king and saint) had the Holy Chapel built to house the relics of the crucifixion, including the Crown of Thorns (now in Notre-Dame). The king bought them from the emperor of Constantinople for an astronomical sum more than twice the cost of the construction of the Sainte-Chapelle itself. Built with unusual speed between 1246 and 1248, Sainte-Chapelle was a notable engineering feat. Supporting the roof with pillars and buttresses allowed the architect, Pierre de Montreuil, to brighten the interior with 15 15m-high (50-ft.) windows. Old and New Testament scenes are illustrated over 612 sq. m (6,588 sq. ft.) of stained glass, to be read from bottom to top and from left to right. The 1,134 scenes trace the Biblical story from the Garden of Eden to the Apocalypse. The 17th and 18th centuries were not kind to Sainte-Chapelle; a fire in 1630 did extensive damage, as did the anticlerical fervor of the French Revolution. Fortunately, plans to raze it were shelved, and renewed interest in the medieval era during the 19th century led to a restoration. Two-thirds of the stained glass is original; the rest is reconstructed. Allow 1 hour to take in this masterpiece. 4 bd. du Palais, Palais de Justice, Ile de la Cité, 4e. & www. monum.fr (click Sainte-Chapelle). Admission 5.50 ($6.30) adults, 3.50 ($4) 18 25, free for children under 18. Combined Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie ticket 7.65 ($8.80). Daily Apr Sept 9:30am 6:30pm; Oct Mar 10am 5pm. Closed holidays. Métro: Cité or St-Michel. RER: St-Michel. 2 Ile de la Cité & Ile St-Louis ILE DE LA CITE When you are done gasping at the monuments, wander the narrow streets and imagine the days when the entire city was on this bit of land. (There s a map of this historic island, as well as the Ile St- Louis, inside the back cover of this book.) These days, a large chunk of the island is taken up by the Palais de Justice, or law courts, which Balzac described as a cathedral of chicanery. The building s style is neoclassical, the proportions monumental. The courts admit visitors daily 9am to 6pm; you can enter the building free. The main entrance is next to that for Sainte-Chapelle, which is surrounded by this grand edifice. Across the street is the place Louis-Lépine, where there is a flower market every day except Sunday, when a bird market occupies the space. Once you ve stopped to smell the roses, walk toward Notre-Dame and pass the Hôtel-Dieu, the oldest hospital in Paris, founded in the 7th century. The inner courtyard was remodeled in the 19th century and is a quiet place to relax.

18 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 117 ILE DE LA CITÉ & ILE ST-LOUIS 117 Finds Pretty Place Dauphine This peaceful, triangular park is one of Paris s best-kept secrets. Laid out by Henri IV in 1607 in honor of the Dauphin (the future Louis XIII), place Dauphine was built on what was the site of three converging islands that originally surrounded the Ile de la Cité but disappeared under successive landfills. As one of the most prominent royal squares, place Dauphine was second in importance only to place Royale, now known as place des Vosges. Built in the fashionable design of brick and stone, the square was closed at one end (where the Palais de Justice now stands) and structured in arcades to provide secrecy for the clusters of negotiating bankers. In the 19th century, place Dauphine suffered under the reconstructive efforts of Haussmann, as did much of ancient Paris. Only one of the original facades remains, at no. 14. Today, intimate restaurants, art galleries, and a small hotel (appropriately named Henri IV) flourish in the place. The strong community influence is palpable among its inhabitants, who maintain the beauty of the 18th-century buildings with intense loyalty. Residents, including several discreet movie stars, refer to themselves as islanders and call traipsing across the river a trip to the Continent. The Palais de Justice has made the place a favorite reprieve for attorneys, judges, and police officers. On sunny days, workers from the Monnaie de Paris come to the square to play a lively game of pétanque (boules). Long an inspiration for artists and writers, place Dauphine is particularly stirring when the sun sets; the shadows suggest calm and reverie as benches fill with lovers and poets touched by the history of the square. Conciergerie If you know anything about the French Revolution, you will want to see this infamous edifice. Built in the Middle Ages as a royal palace, it was used as an administrative office of the Crown; torture was frequent at its western tower, the Tour Bonbec. Ravaillac, Henri IV s murderer, was a prisoner here before an angry

19 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page CHAPTER 5. SEEING THE SIGHTS crowd tore him apart. But the Conciergerie is most famous for its days as a prison during the Terror of the French Revolution, when 4,164 enemies of the people passed through. More than half headed for the guillotine on place de la Révolution (now place de la Concorde). Besides revolutionary ringleaders Danton and Robespierre, Charlotte Corday and the poet André Chenier were imprisoned here. Marie Antoinette awaited her fate in a tiny, fetid cell. When she was taken to her execution, the queen was forced to ride backward in the cart so she would have to face a jeering, taunting crowd. Marie Antoinette s cell is now a chapel, and the dank cells have been transformed with exhibits and mementos designed to convey a sense of prison life in a brutal era. The Gothic halls built by Philip the Fair in the 14th century are impressive examples of medieval secular architecture. Allow hours. Palais de Justice, Ile de la Cité, 1er. & Admission 5.50 ($6.30) adults, 3.50 ($4) 18 25, free for children under 18. Combined Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie ticket Apr Sept daily 9:30am 6:30pm; Oct Mar daily 10am 5pm. Métro: Cité, Châtelet Les-Halles, or St-Michel. RER: St-Michel. PONT NEUF At the exit from place Dauphine at the western tip of the Ile de la Cité, a statue of Henri IV on horseback marks the middle of the Pont Neuf. Ironically, the new bridge is the oldest bridge in Paris. Henri III laid the first stone in The Pont Neuf had two unique features for its time: It was not flanked with houses and shops, and it was paved. Though the structure of the bridge has barely changed, it has recently been cleaned, and the alabaster-white stone has regained its luminous beauty. At the Hôtel Carnavalet, a museum in the Marais (see later in this chapter), is a painting called Spectacle of Buffons, showing what the bridge was like between 1665 and Duels were fought on the structure, great coaches belonging to the nobility crossed it, and peddlers sold their wares. With all those crowds, it attracted entertainers, such as Tabarin, who sought a few coins from the gawkers. The Pont Neuf is decorated with corbels, a mélange of grotesquerie and fantasy. While the view of the Louvre and Institut de France from the bridge is superb, to see the Pont Neuf itself, walk along the Passerelle des Arts, the parallel pedestrian bridge. From there, away from the clutter, noise, and exhaust of vehicular traffic, enjoy an unobstructed view of the most exquisite bridge in Paris, as well as the lovely park tucked in its underbelly, the Square du Vert-Galant.

20 Ch05.qxd 12/18/03 10:03 AM Page 119 1ER ARRONDISSEMENT 119 THE OTHER ISLAND IN THE SEINE: ILE ST-LOUIS As you walk across the little iron footbridge from the rear of Notre- Dame toward the Ile St-Louis, you ll enter a world of tree-shaded quays, restaurants, antiques shops, and stately town houses with courtyards. In contrast to its sister island, the Ile de la Cité the site of Lutèce, the first settlement in Paris Ile St-Louis is a relatively recent creation. The result of a contract between Louis XIII and the architect Christophe Marie in 1614, the island was developed when Marie was given 10 years to build mansions for the bourgeoisie. The land was then two islands known as Ile Nôtre Dame and Prés aux Vaches the cow meadow. Construction, which began with the creation of a bridge to link the two islets, was completed half a century later. The unity of the architecture gives the island the image of a cozy, aristocratic village, with a steep church spire emerging from the heart of it all. The illustrious quarter drew its name from the sumptuous feast King St-Louis threw on the very same pasturelands in 1267 in celebration of his entry into the Crusades. Because of its ideal location, relative privacy, and luxurious estates, rich and famous Parisians have always clamored for an address on the island. Plaques on the facades of houses identify the former residences of various celebrities, including Marie Curie (36 quai de Béthune, near Pont de la Tournelle). Voltaire and his mistress lived in the Hôtel Lambert, 2 quai d Anjou, where they engaged in legendary quarrels. Today, Ile St-Louis is one of the most expensive quarters in Paris. A stop at Berthillon, the famous ice-cream and sherbet shop, and the Brasserie Ile St-Louis makes the visit complete. The view of the back of Notre-Dame from the island s entrance is lovely. 3 1er Arrondissement: The Louvre, Tuileries & Les Halles In 1527, François I announced that the Louvre would be his palace on the Seine, and the neighborhood hasn t been the same since. He began embellishments that continued during the reigns of a succession of kings and endowed the whole quarter with a lasting aura of prestige. The classical refinement of the Louvre (see The Top 10 Sights, above) is echoed in the Jardin des Tuileries (which once adjoined a palace), Cardinal Richelieu s stately Palais-Royal, the place Vendôme, and the long stretch of arcades making up rue de Rivoli. Even the repertoire of the Comédie-Française is classical: Corneille, Molière, and Racine.